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Ariri was enrolled at Clemson in 1977 when Clemson football coach Charlie Pell was in dire need of a kicker. Dr. Ibrahim allowed Ariri to try out only if he agreed to continue to play soccer. Pell agreed, and Ariri went on to nail every attempt thus securing his place as the kicker for the Tigers. His scholarship was shifted to football and Pell insisted that Obed forget about soccer. Ariri never kicked a football until he was at Clemson.

He was so popular in campus during his Senior year that "Obed Ariri for the Heisman Trophy" bumper stickers were made up even though a kicker couldn't win.[citation needed]

Ariri was drafted in the seventh round of the 1981 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Colts but was cut from the team days before the season. He was on the initial roster of the USFL's Washington Federals but did not last the entire season due to inconsistency and poor performance. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers acquired Obed in the 1984 pre-season but was waived before final cuts. After kicker Bill Capece flopped in the final Buccaneer pre-season game, Ariri was hired in time for the start of the regular season and he was their regular kicker that season, only to be released during the 1985 training camp. He was nicknamed the "Automatic African" by his teammates.[citation needed]

Young Nigerian soccer player Donald Igwebuike had idolized Ariri back in Nigeria. Ariri encouraged Igwebuike to attend Clemson and inspired him to kick a football. The young player attended Clemson and was looked after by Ariri. After graduating Ariri even encouraged Coach Danny Ford to give Igwebuike a chance to kick for the football team. Igwebuike not only made the team, he went on to the NFL and beat out Ariri for the kicking spot at Tampa Bay.[citation needed]